Deadlands: Troubleshooters

Deadlands is an alternate history western/horror role-playing game. The world of Deadlands was much like our own up until July 4th, 1863. It is rumored that something supernaturally powerful was unleashed that day, and it changed the world forever. It was most noticeably changed in western North America better known as the Wild West. The civil war is still ongoing and has been that way for the past 17 years. there have been numerous large scale battles in those years, however neither side has been able to truly overpower the other. As it stands there is currently a lull in hostilities while both sides lick their wounds and prepare for the next big push.

While the supernatural is becoming more and more common place within the west due to unknown reasons, the public at large still remain ignorant of these happenings largely due to the efforts of both the northern and southern governments. Those able to make use of the supernatural are also becoming a common sight in the west, although as a rule those folk normally try to keep a low profile. Still stories and rumors of the strange events are becoming more and more common place particularly with the interventions of the media such as the tombstone epitaph, a newspaper dedicated reporting about the weird west in its entirety

One of the previously mentioned supernatural events would be the great quake of '68, which caused a great deal of California to fall into the sea as well as revealing the mineral known as Ghost Rock. What first appeared to be coal turned out to be an undiscovered rock that burned far hotter and longer than conventional coal. While it was first discovered in California, veins of the rock have been discovered all over the western states since. Scientists have discovered the super material can be utilized to create incredible feats of engineering as well as terrifying weapons.

In the face of these uncertain times the natives have banded together, forming the sioux nations in the north and coyote confederation of the south. The Sioux have at large adopted a culture they call "the old ways" refusing to use any of the technologies not available to their forefathers, seeing them as a source of great evil. In the north the relations between the Sioux Nations and United states are very stretched, due to repeated instances of border violations by prospectors to mine "the black hills" within the Sioux territories. The coyote confederate meanwhile have chosen to ally with the CSA, seeing them as underdogs and brothers in arms in the face of the USA aggression. The confederation also have no qualms about the use of technology, ready to make use of any means to secure their survival.